New Grant Programs Relating to Women in Higher Education

Marquette University received a five-year, $1,480,000 federal grant to support a nurse-midwife practice and develop a breastfeeding support program at the university’s Neighborhood Health Center. The grant will allow the center to hire three certified midwives and a support staff. It is expected that about 1,200 births will take place at the center over the next five years.

California State University at Bakersfield received a three-year, $244,537 grant to increase the number of ethnic minorities, particularly women, who pursue degree programs in STEM fields. The grant money will be used for tutoring and other programs aimed at increasing retention in engineering programs.

Michigan State University received a five-year, $3.6 million grant from the National Institutes of Health to support the College of Nursing’s Girls on the Move project. The program aims to increase the physical activity of middle school girls, particularly those from minority or low-income households. The program is led by nursing professor Lorraine Robbins, shown in the photograph below.